‘But when we got closer we spotted a child next to her crying and drinking her milk. It brought tears to our eyes.’

Officer Nand Ram, who is the head constable of the Government Railway Police, said: ‘The toddler was crying for his mother and on receiving no response from her; he held her and started drinking milk from her.

‘We were shocked to see it, it was very sad. The woman was lying dead while the child was sitting next to her scratchless.

‘This was something we have never seen before. It was quite emotional for us all.’

Investigators told of a post-mortem underway to determine the cause of the mother’s death.

Crying Indian toddler found drinking milk from dead mother. Pictured, baby boy as authorities now seek to track relatives who will now be placed in an ophanage.

Reiterated witness Monu Balmiki: ‘We are suspecting an accident as she was bleeding from her nose and ears.

‘We are trying to locate the home address of the woman and trying to dig up some information about her so that her family can be informed.’

Of question is whether authorities were able to determine the dead woman’s identity and how she came to end up by the side of the road and whether her life was at any point in danger and if so, by whom?

Following the discovery of mother and child, the toddler was taken to a nearby hospital for a check-up with authorities notifying the local Child Welfare Committee.

Told a hospital spokesman: ‘The child was brought here around 10am this morning.

‘We conducted a physical examination on him and he was suffering from a cold but has been given medication.

‘He has no other complications and we’ll make sure he’s taken care of.’

They added that arrangements were being made to take the boy to an orphanage until his family are tracked down.